


Dressing Up The Marten

by Voidcoffee



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, it has some brief mentions of the rest of the cast too but nothing noteworthy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 11:28:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13974153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voidcoffee/pseuds/Voidcoffee
Summary: A continuation on A Peacock and A Marten by Voidcoffee.Mollymauk is appalled at the state of Caleb's clothes. Caleb, on the other hand, does not care. Yet, somehow, the charismatic tiefling manages to convince his lover to go on a shopping trip with him. Fluff ensues.





	Dressing Up The Marten

The next morning, Caleb woke up to the strong smell of burning incense and an empty side of the bed. He could feel the crisp morning air seep through the cracks in the walls. He rolled around, only to be slapped in the face by the brightest ray of sunshine he’d ever experienced. That might just have been the grogginess talking, though. He turned back around, his bare chest almost cut against the rough fabric of the fitted sheet. He took a deep breath through his nose, trying to really take in the scent of the incense. Vanilla, sandalwood and an undertone of cinnamon, maybe? The many hours spent burning incense himself had ruined his sense of smell, so he couldn’t be sure. At least, he told himself it was because of the incense burning, and not because he smelled so terrible himself. 

 

“Good morning, sunshine!” a voice rang through the room. Caleb opened one eye, and then, slowly and with the exact opposite of vigor, he opened the other. He yelped and shot up, breathing heavily. Staring him in the face was a certain purple tiefling - Mollymauk. Caleb loved him, yes, but no one likes waking up to someone staring at them, especially not from that small distance. 

“Molly! Scheiße, you scared the fuck out of me!” He held his head in his hands, brushing his fingers through his hair. It’s something he always did when he got scared or startled. It was….calming. Molly gently pushed Caleb’s hands down from his face and placed a soft, gentle kiss on his forehead, the chains on his horns rattling like a piano played by skilled hands. His face wore a smile as he finished the ritual.

 

Caleb watched as he saw the tiefling kneel down in front of two large, curved swords. He watched as he saw him place his hands on the blades with great care. He watched the smoke released by the incense curl and coil around his horns like snakes. The ritual always took Caleb’s breath away, but especially this morning, with the sun shining on Molly’s back. He could hear birds chirping outside.    
“Everything always looks so different in spring,” he mused to himself.

 

It didn’t take long for Mollymauk to complete the ritual. All it took was about five minutes and a little bit of blood. Just in time as well, since a familiar voice called from behind the door. They didn’t need to recognise their voice, however, because the cracks in the door left little mystery.   
“Hey you guys, we’re going down for breakfast. I dunno what you’re doing, but me and Nott sure are hungry,” Jester said loudly.    
“Yes! Caleb, they have a  _ meat _ breakfast!” Nott chimed in. Caleb couldn’t actually see her (maybe because of her size, or maybe because she’s just that stealthy), but he could practically hear her grin. He’d been with her long enough to notice such things.

 

“We’ll be out in a minute, I just have to get dressed first,” Caleb responded as he kicked the thin blanket off his body. Shivers ran up and down his body as he got his first real taste of the morning air. Picking up his clothes from a chair next to the bed, he could faintly hear the metallic sound of Molly sheathing his swords.    
“You remember what day it is?” the tiefling purred. He draped his arms over his lover’s shoulders, embracing him from behind. His claw played with one Caleb’s curly chest hairs. 

“Thursday? I could never get the hang of Thursdays,” Caleb replied, causing the other to chuckle and shake his head.   
“Remember what we talked about last night?” Caleb had to think about that. He still vividly remembered what he’d read, but conversations were always a bit woozy to him. And then it hit him: they were going to go shopping.

 

Caleb groaned loudly. Shopping really was not his thing, except for book shopping. The idea alone of wearing different clothing made him feel a bit weird inside. He told himself it was because he’d gotten so used to what he wore now, but truth be told he wasn’t certain.

 

“Wow, that reeks,” Caleb mumbled, sniffing his shirt. The strong iron smell of blood and the musky smell of dirt created a sickening bouquet. He put it on anyways, since he didn’t own another one. Maybe Molly was right. Maybe he really did need new clothing. Telling himself he just needed to wash the shirt was easier though, no matter how tough blood was to get out of fabric. Suddenly, he felt something heavy being draped over his shoulders: his coat. He didn’t know how, but somehow Mollymauk had managed to walk to the coathanger next to the door and back without him noticing a single thing. For someone so tall and covered in piercings, he could be awfully sneaky.

 

Mollymauk hooked his and his lover’s arm and led him downstairs. When they exited the door to their room, they heard the floor crack softly, and from around the corner appeared Frumpkin. The cat had spent the night in Nott’s and Jester’s room - even magic cats need some petting sometimes. Frumpkin jumped up Caleb’s shoulder like a trained acrobat. 

“Goodmorning, mein Liebling,” Caleb greeted, smiling. The cat purred back in response.

 

Having gotten downstairs, the three scanned around the room to find their companions. The inn was surprisingly crowded, considering last night’s dinner was still alive when it was served. However, one had to admit that the smell that morning was incredible. The smell of freshly baked bread and old cheese mixed with that of ground coffee and hot tea filled the whole downstairs area. Molly and Caleb both took a good moment to really enjoy it. Frumpkin, however, did not. He jumped off Caleb’s shoulder and ran straight towards Nott, thus leading the way for Molly and Caleb. 

 

They could see the others had reserved two chairs for them. Molly, being the gentleman he is, pulled back the chair for his lover. Caleb, blushing underneath layers of filth, sat down, muttering something about embarrassment under his breath. He could feel the others staring at him, could feel Beau’s shit-eating grin and Jester’s mischievous eyes. He decided to call over the barmaid, making a point of ignoring his lover’s teasing. 

 

A hurried-looking half-orc woman ran over, carrying plates of food in both hands, sweat running over her brow. Her hair was a mess of uncombed red curls, but she’d attempted to tame it by putting it up in a bun. She put one of the plates down in front of Nott. It was covered in a variety of meat, from bacon to chicken legs. It didn’t seem like much of a breakfast to anyone, except Nott. 

 

“What can I do for you?” the woman asked. Her voice carried the tone of the north. Caleb didn’t order much, eager to get on with his studies and his books. And also worried about money. He was fine with eating a little less if it meant he’d be sure Nott would have something. Although, she did always seem to procure more gold from somewhere. The lady nodded and was about to serve another table when Mollymauk spoke up. 

 

“Excuse me. Excuse me!” The lady looked back, barely able to keep back a deep sigh and an eye roll. “Yes, thank you. I was wondering if there are any clothing stores in town? Something more on the fancy side of things would do just lovely, thank you.” She frowned and looked the tiefling up and down.    
“There’s The Brass Clasp downtown. It’s really expensive, though, and, beg my pardon, you don’t look like you’d be able to get in, let alone afford it. There’s also Coppercoil, a few streets up. That one is less expensive, but the owner is a bit-” she took another look at Molly, ”nevermind. I think you’d like her.”    
Mollymauk nodded gratefully and before he could say another thing, the woman already had her back turned to him and was practically running to another table. He turned to Caleb.

 

Caleb, in the meanwhile, had taken out one of his books from his coat and propped it up against an empty mug of ale on the table. The book was heavy and even the slightest tap against the mug would send it crashing down on the table. He traced his fingers along the words on the pages, softly muttering them to himself. Mollymauk stared at him, engulfed in the scene. The way the sunlight hit his head, the way his hair fell in front of his face, the way his soft lips moved - it was like a fairytale, and Molly was the knight come to rescue him. Rescue him from a fashion disaster, that is. 

 

Mollymauk was awoken from his daydream by the loud sound of laughter. He could faintly hear Beau saying “Seamen” under her breath as she slammed her fist on the table, laughing. The miniature earthquake on the table was enough to send Caleb’s book slamming down. Molly could see Caleb’s face as it happened. He seemed annoyed, upset, but also like it’d happened so many times before, he’d made peace with it. He placed his hand on his leg and smiled gently as he looked over. Caleb mimicked the smile, but his eyes revealed weariness. 

 

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. Caleb ate his breakfast as Nott shoved down a chicken leg. More seamen jokes were made as Nott shoved down five strips of bacon. Jester replaced the salt with sugar as Nott shoved down a leg of boar almost as big as herself. Just another ordinary morning.

 

* * *

 

 

A purple tiefling dragged a ragged-looking man out by his hand, a book clutched under the human’s arm. Their feet made a hurried-sounding drumbeat on the cobbled streets. Molly smiled and every single bit of him seemed excited, even his coat. Caleb, on the other hand, seemed preoccupied. He didn’t feel the need to get new clothing. Truth be told, he thought Molly’s clothes were beautiful, but they were far from something he’d wear himself. Not to mention he felt he had an aesthetic going on, even if that aesthetic was literally filth. He saw a little elven girl stare at Molly as they rushed by, and was sure Molly didn’t even notice. The tiefling had never seemed to care about the stares and pointings of strangers. Hell, he even seemed to enjoy invoking them. Prodding them, sometimes metaphorically, sometimes not, with his decorated horns.

 

It didn’t take long for the two to reach Coppercoil. It was a relatively small building squished in between a general store and a house. The name was written in large copper letters on the front - how appropriate. Sunlight shone in through two big windows at the front, a stained-glass door separating them. The building seemed to be made out of an eclectic mix of bricks, creating a rainbow effect. Yep, this seems like something Molly’d enjoy, Caleb thought, a small grin appearing on his face. 

 

Mollymauk, in the meanwhile, gawked at the building like a child standing in front of a candy store. He felt excitement bubble up in the pit of his stomach, slowly rising like a freshly uncorked bottle of champaign. His tail swished around and his ears perked up. Feeling Caleb’s hand on his shoulder, he took it as a sign he was ready to go in. 

 

The inside of the store was even more stunning than the outside. There were racks and racks of clothing in a rainbow of colors. Coats, shirts, pants, shoes, hats - everything. Every wall that wasn’t covered in clothes had a large mirror on it. All the mirrors together reflected the clothes, turning the store into even more of a rainbow. The ceiling was covered in strings with gems attached to them, and the floor had a golden sheen. Going into the store was like entering a different dimension. It was so different from every building around-

 

“And so beautiful!” Mollymauk marveled as he and his partner entered the building. His clothing almost turned into camouflage in the bright jungle that was the store. He turned around to Caleb and let out a little, amazed laugh. Just then, he heard a tinkling sneaking closer to him. It was a familiar sound. As a matter of fact, he heard it every time he moved. He spun around on his heels and stood face to face, well, more face to chest with a tall half-elven woman. She was covered in piercings (Caleb did a quick count and the total came to 14) and her white hair reached her lower back. 

 

“My name is Qitris and I’m the owner! Can I help you?” She took one look at Caleb, stuck up a ‘give me one second’ finger and ran off to the other side of the store. Caleb looked at Molly in confusion, who only shrugged in return. It didn’t take long for her to return, her arms full of clothing and her face full of smiles. She walked up to Caleb and dumped the clothing in his arms, ignoring the book he was already holding. Before the book even hit the ground, Qitris shoved him to the back of the store so he could change. Molly followed the two, a spring in his step as he danced around the store. He felt at home within this peacock’s nest. 

 

Caleb, however, did not. At least, he didn’t think he did at first, but being surrounded by crystals and glass does something to a person. It’s like hypnosis in that it changes your thoughts and makes you feel weird afterwards. It’s completely unlike hypnosis in that you’re well aware what you’re doing as you’re doing it. It was entirely like bad hypnosis. 

 

He looked at the things Qitris had given him. In his hands he held what was probably the most colorful thing since the invention of the rainbow; a bright purple shirt with golden cuffs and collar and small crystals for buttons. Yet, somehow, Caleb didn’t doubt this was right up Molly’s alley. It was about three towns and a village removed from his alley. 

 

Scared of what he’d see, Caleb decided to look through the other clothes. He looked at the pants and was certain this was a shade of orange previously unknown to the universe. It stirred in him strange emotions like a coiling miasma. He didn’t know how, but he was convinced the orange was staring back at him. All in all, it wasn’t the strangest experience he’d had in a changing room. 

 

The shoes were cobalt blue riding boots that came up to his knees. They seemed eye catching, worn and like they were made for a 7 foot tall orc. They were covered in intricate clasps, which, upon further inspection, were small dragons with their tails entangled. Trying them on, Caleb discovered he might well be right about for whom the boots were made, so he decided to toss them over the curtain shielding him from the prying eyes of both his lover and the store’s owner and seemingly only employee. Caleb also discovered he really wasn’t as strong as he thought he was; this discovery caused by the boots flying through the curtain rather than over it. 

 

As the boots clattered to the floor, Molly had already left to the front of the store. He’d seen what Qitris had given Caleb and, well, he thought it was good, but it lacked a certain je-ne-sais-quoi. At least, this was the reason he told himself. In reality, he just really liked the store and couldn’t help but browse a bit, especially since everything seemed to fit his fashion style so well. His eyes fluttered from rack to rack, scanning for any and all items that suited Caleb (or him). He trailed his fingers past the fabrics, trying to find something he liked. It was a habit of his. There were certain fabrics he just couldn’t stand. Silk and satin were fine, but most courser fabrics felt like sandpaper on his skin. His fingers slid past a woolen crepe and he instantly drew them back, a little wince escaping his lips. It was a pretty shirt, all things considered; dark blue with vertical silver lines. It wasn’t his thing though. 

 

As Caleb continued his dressing endeavour, Molly continued browsing the store. He’d found a couple items he rather liked, but nothing affordable. Besides, he needed something he could easily get the blood out of and this wasn’t it. Suddenly, a flash of yellow caught his eye. He took a few steps back, trying to glimpse it again. It was like a bar of gold in a mountain of rust. Except, of course, Molly was surrounded by gold and silver at the moment, so really it was more like rust in a mountain of gold. He slid over to it, his swords clattering against his waist. After having moved the small pile of burgundy and pine shirts, Molly was able to pick up the item he saw. He held it up and let it unfold like a butterfly exiting its cocoon. It was gorgeous. The bright yellow fabric reflected in the multitude of mirrors and became the sun. Molly couldn’t help but smile as he knew, as every fibre in his body knew, he’d found the perfect present for Caleb.

  
  


Caleb tried putting the shirt and the pants on. They seemed to fit, alright, but the pants were like a puzzle even he couldn’t solve. The cords seemed like two slithering snakes constantly determined to cross each other’s paths. He tried tying them, he really did, but all it seemed to do was make them angry.   
“I’m not made for this. This is not my thing. Why am I here? _ Verdammt _ !” he muttered to himself, frustration spilling from his lips. He hooked his fingers in the laces and untied it again as best as he could. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to do this on his own, but the idea of calling Molly in brought red to his cheeks. Yeah, Molly’d seen him naked, but that wasn’t it. Just the idea of admitting he couldn’t even figure out how to tie his pants made him stare at the ground. But the other option was going out with his pants on his knees and that felt even worse. So, he took of his shirt as to not spoil the surprise and-

 

“Molly! Mollymauk!” he called, ignoring Qitris’ questions. He heard heavy footsteps and rattling metal coming closer. “I….I need your help.”    
“What is it?” the tiefling’s voice returned.    
“Just...come in here, okay? And promise not to laugh?” Mollymauk was about to make a joke, until he realised how serious Caleb sounded. How  _ ashamed _ . With a quick flash of his hand, he ushered Qitris back and she disappeared to the front of the store. With a quick flash of his other hand, Molly opened the curtain and slipped in. The dark red velvet slid back effortlessly. The room was small and too cramped for two people, not to mention one huge tail, but they made it work. 

 

“What is it you needed help with?” Molly asked, a quick smile flashing across his teeth as he stood pressed up against Caleb’s naked chest. Every single breath Caleb took, he could feel. It wasn’t unpleasant, all things considered.    
“I, uhh-” he could feel his cheeks flush, “I can’t tie my pants.” As he’d expected, Molly laughed. Not hard and not unfriendly, though. It sounded soft and endearing; a lover’s laugh. It made him feel safe. 

 

Because of the lack of room, Molly had difficulty looking down to see what he was doing, so Caleb had to guide his hands. Over his stomach, across his hips and down to the cords of his pants. His skin felt like purple satin. Caleb placed his head against Molly’s chest, blocking his view entirely. Molly moved one hand back up and pushed one finger into his forehead, forcing him back up.   
“I’m not a wizard, hon. If you won’t let me see, I can’t help you.” It didn’t take long for him to finish up and twirl out of the changing room. This all, of course, only after a soft kiss on his lover’s forehead. The kind of kiss that cared more than anything else in the universe. The kind of kiss you want to wake up to, and end the day with. The kind of kiss that expressed love, but in a different way.

 

As Molly left the changing room, Caleb went back to the business of changing into this new set of clothing. It wasn’t hard. The shirt was similar in design to his own, just a different fabric and different clothing. Qitris had kicked some boots underneath the curtain as well, ones that fit this time. He stared at them and decided to go for the dark green ankle boots. They weren’t his style but then again, what in this store was? 

 

He readied himself to exit what he had nicknamed his  _ Höhle _ . He took a deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath in. He brushed his hands past his shirt, straightening it. Deep breath out. He tucked his pants in his shoes, closed his eyes, opened the curtain and stepped out into the crystal-and-mirror world that was the store. As he did, he went through all five stages of grief.

 

First, denial. He wasn’t in this store right now. He was in his room with Nott, studying his books, teaching her tricks. Frumpkin was curled up on his lap, putting his head on the corner of the tome Caleb was studying. The moonlight shone in through a small window above the bed. All was calm and all was fine.

 

Second, anger. How did he ever let Molly convince him into doing this? It was a terrible idea. Molly was a terrible person for making him do this.  _ Scheiße, Scheiße, Scheiße _ ! He was so going to regret this later.

 

Third, bargaining. Maybe he could convince Molly and that lady, Qitris, to forget all about this? Maybe they wanted to take his place? He even considered making a deal with some sort of deity to get him out of this situation. Anything seemed better than this.

 

Fourth, depression. He wanted to go home. Go back to bed. Lie down and slowly drift to sleep with Frumpkin on his chest. He wanted to cry. He wanted to sigh. He wanted to die. He just wanted this whole thing to end and everyone to just let him be.

 

Fifth, acceptance. He was here now. He was here in these clothes that felt weird and foreign and, frankly, wrong on his body. But, he was doing it. He may not be okay with the situation, but he could live with it, he could  _ accept _ it. 

 

He opened his eyes. Molly was staring at him, eyes filled with sparkles, but they disappeared quickly. He saw the look in Caleb’s eyes. Saw the discomfort, and that rubbed off on him. He couldn’t be happy if Caleb wasn’t happy. But he knew of something that might make him happy. As a matter of fact, he was holding it behind his back right now.

He walked towards Caleb and cupped his hand around his jaw. Placing a quick and pleasant kiss on his lips, he pressed the coat in Caleb’s hands and stepped back to his spot next to Qitris.

 

Caleb looked at the clothing Molly had pressed into his hands. He was confused at first, but this quickly turned into excitement. His heart made a little jump in his chest and for the first time, he felt glad to be where he was (which was, of course, the slightly dingy backroom of an otherwise far too fancy-looking clothing store). In his hands, he held a bright yellow coat. His hands shook slightly as he moved his fingers around to feel the fabric. It was soft and almost warm to the touch, like he was holding the sun in his hands. He also noted it was far lighter than it looked. For a split second, he actually entertained the idea that this coat was made from pure sunrays. He put it on. It fitted him perfectly. It was like someone had made it especially for him. He was still reeling from the feeling as Mollymauk walked up to him. 

 

He placed his hands on his upper arms, making the fabric even warmer. He tilted his head slightly and made little dimples appear in his cheeks. Then, he made Caleb mirror the expression. Their lips touched again. The sun and the moon melted into one for just this little moment. It was magical. Mirrors and crystals looked down upon them, jealous of their ability to mimic and follow one another. As they stood there, the world stopped turning. Nothing mattered except them.

  
  


“I hope you like it,” a tiefling said, all gentle smiles and loving gestures.

“I love you,” a human replied, all loving eyes and a gentle heart.

 

And that is where we leave this tale (for now)


End file.
